Gaza Herald- Gaza experienced one of its darkest days for journalism as six Palestinian journalists were killed in a deliberate Israeli attack targeting media workers. Five journalists lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, while Hassan Dahan was fatally shot when an Israeli bullet pierced the tent where he was sheltering.
Mohamed Salama, a photojournalist with Al Jazeera, was killed while filming near the hospital entrance. Colleagues remember him as a fearless frontline reporter who continued documenting Gaza’s destruction until his final moments.
Hussam Al-Masri, a cameraman for Reuters, was killed during a live broadcast. He was committed to showing the world Gaza’s suffering despite repeated threats to his safety.
Mariam Abu Daqqa, a journalist with AP and Independent Arabia, was killed. She had recently sent her 13-year-old son abroad, fearing Israel was targeting journalists, highlighting the grave risks for women reporters in Gaza.
Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist, was killed in the second wave of Israeli airstrikes that struck rescuers.
Ahmed Abu Aziz, reporting for Quds Network, was also killed. He documented daily life under siege, focusing on children and struggling families.
Hassan Dahan, a journalist, was fatally shot in his tent by an Israeli bullet, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of attacks on journalists, even outside frontline positions.
“Black Press Day”
This deliberate targeting brings the total number of Palestinian journalists killed by the Israeli occupation since October 2023 to 274, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office, making this the deadliest conflict for media workers in modern history.
Press freedom groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders, condemned the killings as part of a systematic effort to silence Gaza’s press. The United Nations and the European Union have repeatedly warned that targeting journalists violates international law, yet accountability remains absent.
The deaths of Salama, Al-Masri, Abu Daqqa, Abu Taha, Abu Aziz, and Dahan mark what many in Gaza are calling a “Black Press Day”, a devastating reminder that in Gaza, telling the truth can cost journalists their lives.
